Admiral Mike Mullen

Person

Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who now serves as the chairman of the defense startup s drone.


First Mentioned

1/1/2026, 5:44:10 AM

Last Updated

1/1/2026, 5:44:59 AM

Research Retrieved

1/1/2026, 5:44:59 AM

Summary

Admiral Mike Mullen is a retired United States Navy officer who served as the 17th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2007 to 2011 under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. Following a distinguished 43-year military career, which included roles as the 28th Chief of Naval Operations and Commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe, Mullen transitioned into the private sector and academia. He currently serves as the chairman of 's drone,' a Silicon Valley defense startup collaborating with the U.S. Navy on autonomous technologies. His involvement in the defense tech sector reflects a broader shift toward asymmetric drone warfare and increased partnerships between the Department of Defense and venture-backed startups to counter global challenges in autonomous manufacturing and electronic warfare.

Referenced in 1 Document
Research Data
Extracted Attributes
  • Education

    Master's Degree in Operations Research from the Naval Postgraduate School; Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School; Graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy

  • Full Name

    Michael Glenn Mullen

  • Birth Date

    1946-10-04

  • Birth Place

    Los Angeles, California, USA

  • Current Role

    Chairman of s drone; President of MGM Consulting, LLC

  • Military Rank

    Admiral (Retired)

  • Years of Service

    43 years

Timeline
  • Born in Los Angeles, California. (Source: Britannica)

    1946-10-04

  • Graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and commissioned as an officer. (Source: Britannica)

    1968-06-01

  • Earned a Master's Degree in Operations Research from the Naval Postgraduate School. (Source: Congress.gov)

    1985-01-01

  • Appointed as the 32nd Vice Chief of Naval Operations. (Source: Wikipedia)

    2003-08-01

  • Assumed command of U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Allied Joint Force Command Naples. (Source: Wikipedia)

    2004-10-01

  • Served as the 28th Chief of Naval Operations until September 2007. (Source: Wikipedia)

    2005-07-22

  • Sworn in as the 17th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. (Source: Wikipedia)

    2007-10-01

  • Retired from the United States Navy after 43 years of service. (Source: The Common Good)

    2011-09-30

  • Joined the faculty at Princeton University, teaching national security until 2018. (Source: Congress.gov)

    2012-01-01

  • Identified as the Chairman of defense startup 's drone' during the All-In Podcast. (Source: Document 4c5de0a5-dd79-4c87-a779-a3d6454db132)

    2024-04-01

Web Search Results
  • [PDF] Admiral Michael G. Mullen, U.S. Navy (Retired) - Congress.gov

    Admiral Michael G. Mullen, U.S. Navy (Retired) Admiral Mike Mullen, USN (Ret.) is President of MGM Consulting, LLC, based in Annapolis, MD. MGM Consulting provides counsel to global clients on issues related to geo-political developments, national security interests, and strategic leadership. ADM Mullen served as the 28th Chief of Naval Operations from 2005-2007, and as the 17th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for Presidents Bush and Obama from 2007-2011. He led the military during a [...] Policy at the Woodrow Wilson School of International and Public Affairs at Princeton University from 2012-2018 and holds a Master’s Degree in Operations Research from the Naval Postgraduate School. ADM Mullen is a Distinguished Graduate of the Naval Academy and a Distinguished Graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School, a Distinguished Alumni of Harvard Business School, and a Member of the National Academy of Engineering and a trustee at Caltech. 28th Chief of Naval Operations 17th Chairman of [...] U.S. military history the open service of gay and lesbian men and women. Since his retirement from the United States Navy in November 2011, Mullen joined the boards of General Motors and Sprint, as well as Bloomberg Philanthropies. He actively supports and participates in a wide array of non-profit organizations dedicated to improving the growth, development, recovery and transition of military veterans and their family members. Additionally, he taught National Security Decision-making and

  • Michael Mullen

    Michael Glenn "Mike" Mullen (born 4 October 1946) is a retired United States Navy admiral "Admiral (United States)") who served as the 17th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from October 2007 to September 2011. [...] On 3 August 2007, the United States Senate confirmed Mullen as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Mullen was sworn in on October 1, 2007. Upon taking office, Mullen became the first naval officer to hold the Chairman's position since Admiral William J. Crowe, who served as Chairman prior to the enactment of the Goldwater-Nichols Act in 1986, and who was the immediate predecessor to Army general "General (United States)") and later United States Secretary of State Colin Powell. [...] Mullen was the 32nd vice chief of naval operations from August 2003 to August 2004. He then was the commander of both the United States Naval Forces Europe and Africa and the Allied Joint Force Command Naples from October 2004 to May 2005. From July 2005 to September 2007, Mullen served as the Navy's 28th chief of naval operations.

  • Mike Mullen | US Navy Admiral, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman

    Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Mike Mullen. # Mike Mullen Britannica AI Icon Mike Mullen (born October 4, 1946, Los Angeles, California, U.S.) is a U.S. Navy admiral who served as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (2007–11). [...] Mullen graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1968, and his first assignment was as an antisubmarine officer on the destroyer USS Collett, which patrolled the western Pacific during the Vietnam War. Upon his promotion to lieutenant in 1973, Mullen took command of his first ship, the gasoline tanker USS Noxubee, an assignment that concluded with that ship’s decommissioning in 1975. He held a number of posts over the next decade, and he attended Naval Postgraduate School, earning a master’s [...] degree in operations research in 1985. Later that year Mullen took command of the guided-missile destroyer USS Goldsborough. In 1989 he was assigned to the secretary of defense’s office, and he continued his education, graduating from Harvard University’s advanced management program in 1991. Now a captain, Mullen was given command of the guided-missile cruiser USS Yorktown in 1992.

  • Mike Mullen - The Common Good

    The Common Good The Common Good # Mike Mullen # Admiral # Michael Mullen Former Chairman, Joint Chief of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen is a retired United States Navy admiral, who served as the 17th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from October 1, 2007, to September 30, 2011. [...] Mullen was only the third officer in the Navy’s history to be appointed to four different four-star assignments, including the Chief of Naval Operations; Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe; Commander, Allied Joint Force Command Naples;, and Vice Chief of Naval Operation. He retired from the Navy after over 43 years of service. He serves on many boards and is now a Professor at Princeton University. Admiral Mullen spoke at The Common Good in 2017: Conversation with Admiral (Ret.) Mike Mullen. [...] We strive to inspire broad participation in our democracy through the free exchange of ideas and civil dialogue and seek to find ways to bridge the growing divisions that threaten our nation. We are dedicated to finding common ground and, through forums and initiatives, encourage the civic engagement so essential for a thriving democracy.

  • Chairman: Admiral Michael Glenn Mullen - Joint Chiefs of Staff

    Michael G. Mullen was born in Los Angeles, California, on 4 October 1946. The son of a prominent Hollywood publicist, he was the eldest of five children.